WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1523/97 by Riccardo NENCINI to the Commission. LPG systems for motor vehicles in Italy
Date: 1997-05-05
Institutions: European Parliament, NENCINI
Subjects: Italy, application of EU law, combustion gases, motor car, national law, tax exemption, vehicle parts, vehicle tax

10. 2. 98

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 45/47

Additionally a derogation was introduced in Directive 64/433/EEC for slaughter establishments which handle
not  more  than  2000  livestock  units  per  year  taking  specific  geographical  situations  and  infrastructure
circumstances  in  Member  States  into  account.  The  relevant  provision  says  that  Member  States  may,  at  their
request, be authorized to apply the structural requirements for small slaughterhouses (1000 livestock units per
year) to these establishments if they are situated in regions suffering from special geographical constraints or
affected by supply difficulties.

The Italian authorities have transmitted a list of slaughterhouses to the Commission with a request to make a
proposal for derogations to the standing veterinary committee. This list contained several points which have to be
clarified  before  further  action  can  be  initiated.  Therefore  the  Italian  authorities  were  asked  for  clarification.
Having received the answer the Commission will examine the request and initiate the necessary action.

(1)  OJ 121, 29.07.1964.
(2)  OJ L 268, 24.9.1991.
(3)  OJ L 243, 11.10.1995.

(98/C 45/57)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1523/97

by Riccardo Nencini (PSE) to the Commission

(5 May 1997)

Subject: LPG systems for motor vehicles in Italy

Can the Commission explain why on earth motor vehicles converted to LPG in Italy before 1993 are subject to a
separate tax, known as the (cid:145)superbollo(cid:146), while those converted after 1993 are not subject to any such tax?

Given  that  the  conversion  systems  are  exactly  the  same,  can  the  Commission  take  steps  to  remedy  this
discrepancy?

Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission

(30 June 1997)

The  Commission  assumes  that  the  Honourable  Member  is  referring  to  Italian  Decree-Law  No  331  of
30 August 1993, subsequently enacted as Law No 427 of 29 October 1993, Article 65(5) of which stipulates that
vehicles  converted  with  a  recognized  methane  installation  between  2  May  1993  and  31  December  1994  are
exempt from the special tax introduced by Law No 362 of 21 July 1994. The exemption applies for the first three
years of road tax. Decree-Law No 48 of 25 February 1995 subsequently extended the period of exemption for
cars with a methane installation to the end of 1995.

In the Commission’s opinion, the purpose of these provisions is to encourage the conversion of vehicles to run on
methane fuel. Consequently, it sees no reason why the Italian authorities should not limit the tax incentive to
vehicles purchased during a specific period, without necessarily extending it to vehicles purchased earlier. For
one thing, this is a tax matter and as such falls under the jurisdiction of the Member State concerned; for another,
it does not infringe Article 95 of the EC Treaty or any other Community legislation, since the tax incentive is
available in respect of any vehicle › new or used › registered for the first time in Italy by its owner.

The Commission takes the view, therefore, that it has no jurisdiction in this matter.